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.'(NoModelJ- C. P. HIGGINS. DIE ,POR FORMING POLYGONAL TUBES. f y

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. 0'.; P. HIGGINS. DIE POR PORMING; POLYGONAL TUBESi No. 503,962.Patented Aug. 29,.-1893..

UNITED l STATE-s- PATENT OFFICE.

CAMPBELL P. HIGGINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DI FOR lFORMING POLYGONAL IA'UBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,962, dated August29, 1893.

Application filed July 5, 1892, Serial No. 439,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CAMPBELL P. HIGGINS, acitizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Dies for Forming PolygonallTubes, of which the'following is a specification.

The invention relates to forming tubes of rectangular or other polygonalcross-section adapted for use as headers for sectional steam boilers orother purposes; and the object of my invention is to provide for foldingall sides of the plate without removing it from the die, and to completethe folding operation by successive strokes of the press in a commondirection.

The invention consists in anovel construction of die adapted to form andhold the work and operate at diierent angular positions to the line ofcompression, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which like letters of reference indicatey like parts throughout theseveral views: Figure 1, is an end view partly in section, showing thefolding die in operating position in a suitable press; Fig. 2,a sideelevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged cross-sectionof the die, and asuitable mandrel inserted therein, the position indicated beingpreparatory to the folding operation; and Fig. 4, a similar view showingthe first folding operation. Fig. 5, shows a perspective view of thepiece partially folded, as in Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a cross sectional Viewshowing the preparatory position for the second folding operation; andFigs. 7, 8, 9, 10, illustrate the remaining steps of the operationhereinafter referred to. Fig. 11, is an enlarged side elevation partlyin section showing the press and the devices for holding the mandrel inposition; and Fig. 12, an end view of Fig. 11. y

A, Figs.1 and 2, represents the frame-work of a hydraulic or othersuitable press adapted for operating the die.

E, is the folding die having a trough shaped interior corresponding tothe exterior of the tube to be formed.

B, is the pillow block for supporting the die E, which is provided witha semi-cylindrical,

concave surface a, fitting the semi-cylindrical convex surface b, of thedie E.

At different stages of the operation, the die E, is adapted to be tiltedthe one way or the other, at different angles to the line ofcompression, las represented in Figsl to 10 inclusive, and in order toimpart such motion any suitable mechanism may be employed. I illustratea hand lever F, at one end of the press for the purpose. Moreover, inlieu of the semi-cylindric faces between the die E, and support B,suitable trunnions or other equivalents may be substituted to admit ofthe rotative movement of the die upon its axis substantially-at rightangles to the line of compression.

D, is the compressing die or head of the press.

O, is the mandrel, which during the working, corresponds in size to theinterior size of the tube to be formed. The mandrel illustratedcorresponds to one which I have more fully illustrated and claimed in aseparate patent application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No.439,059. Such a mandrel may, however, to all purposes of my present.

invention, be composed of a solid bar.

The frame f,f, of the mandrel is supported in its proper position(indicated in Figs. 3, 11 and 12) preparatory to the insertion of theplate K, or during the withdrawal of the formed tube therefrom, by meansof'links la, and pins Z, embracing the extremities thereof, suspended onthe ends of the head D. By removal of the pins Z, the tube may bewithdrawn from the die, and mandrel. The pins m, which appear in Fig.12, are designed to hold the die E, in place when the mandrel and tubeare lifted therefrom.

In the operation of the invention, the plate K, which has been scarfedor beveled at its edges s, s, in the manner described in a separatepatent application iiled simultaneously herewith, or by other suitablemeans, is placed in the position upon the die E, shown in Fig. 1;,themandrel C, being suspended over it upon the upper die D. In thisrelation pressure is applied to the press, forcing the plate K into thedie E, and producing the trough shape form, as shown in Fig. 4. Thebottom IOO die E, is then rotated a part of a revolution to the angularposition shown in Fig. 6, and one projecting edge of the plate turnedover the top of the mandrel C, as at Fig. 7. The die is then leveled andthe bent edge pressed down as at Fig. S. The die E, is then rotated inthe opposite direction and the other projecting edge of the plate foldedover as at Fig. 9, and the die being again brought into a level positionas at Fig. l0, the two edges are squeezed down together, thus forming onthe mandrel C, a tube of rectangular crosssection, With the two edges ofthe plate lapped in position for Welding. The die E, when brought to theposition shown in Fig. G, and during the compression of the press may,if desired, be rotated toward its horizontal position simultaneouslywith the compression movement of the press, so that the edge of theplate is brought from the position in Fig. 6, to the position in Fig. 8,by a continuous motion. Automatic connection may for this single plate,of a trough shape die corresponding to the exterior of the tube to beformed, having acouvex surface fitting into a concave seat or support, areciprocating compression die or plunger for forcing the plate Withinthe forming die, a mandrel arranged Within the trough shaped tube anddie, and means for oscillating the forming die into different angularpositions to the line of compression.

CAMPBELL l?. HIGGINS. Vitnesses:

NAT. M. PRATT, FRANCIS L. WARD.

